Teens go nuclear at Missouri S&T summer camp 

Posted by
On July 12, 2024

Campers peer into the pool that houses the university’s nuclear reactor core, which emits a blue glow when particles move faster than light in water. Photo by Blaine Falkena/Missouri S&T.

Campers peer into the pool that houses the university’s nuclear reactor core, which emits a blue glow when particles move faster than light in water. Photo by Blaine Falkena/Missouri S&T.

When summertime arrives, teenagers may spend time relaxing, enjoying the outdoors, working a part-time job at a local fast-food restaurant — or operating a nuclear reactor. 
 
That last one may sound out of place, but it’s exactly what a group of almost 50 aspiring nuclear engineers recently did while living at Missouri S&T for the university’s week-long Nuclear Engineering Camp. 
 
“The way our camp is designed is to help rising 11th-12th graders and graduating seniors have a better understanding of what it means to be a nuclear engineering student and working in the field,” says Dr. Ayodeji Alajo, an associate professor of nuclear engineering and radiation science at S&T and the camp’s director.  

Dr. Ayodeji Alajo speaks to a group of campers. Photo by Blaine Falkena/Missouri S&T. 

Alajo says campers are exposed to several career paths related to nuclear engineering so they can figure out which area may be best for them. 
 
Campers learn about nuclear power generation, nuclear materials, laboratory research, security, waste management, radiation detection, opportunities in the U.S. Navy, and nuclear medicine and health physics, with several of the topics being addressed by the department’s alumni. 
 
Jacob Denman, who will be a high school junior this fall in Nevada, Missouri, says the camp affirmed his desire to study nuclear engineering, which he views as an industry that is vital for the future. He says operating S&T’s nuclear reactor, which is used for training and research purposes, was the highlight of his camp experience.  
 
“I want to go into nuclear power generation, so just getting to control the control rods to increase or decrease the power generation was pretty fun,” he says. “Nuclear is a greener form of energy because it doesn’t actively output CO2, and it is the next step for power generation because it’s so efficient with the resources put into it.”  

S&T’s Nuclear Engineering Camp includes several hands-on activities related to nuclear science. Photo by Blaine Falkena/Missouri S&T.

For Iris Juarez, who will be a high school junior this fall in Floresville, Texas, another highlight of the camp was being exposed to college life in general.  
 
“You get to meet great people, and it’s just a whole lot of fun — especially seeing the people studying here and people who have graduated and are here sharing their experiences,” says Juarez. “The feeling of being in a college is amazing.”  
 
Chloe Kropp, an incoming senior from Flower Mound, Texas, shared similar sentiments. 
 
“Everything was hands-on, so just doing all the fun things I might do when I grow up was really cool,” she says. “The camp also has a lot of lectures, so it was like trying out going to college here. My grandpa went here 50 years ago, so it’s interesting to see everything after hearing so many things.” 
 
Ben Pilsbury, a recent high school graduate from St. Peters, Missouri, says the camp allowed him to learn more about his future career — plus had the bonus of counting as S&T’s introductory nuclear engineering course. 
 
“It has been insightful to hear from the graduates,” he says. “They went to the courses here, and they have good things to say.” 
 
For more information about Missouri S&T’s summer camps, visit summer.mst.edu

About Missouri S&T

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students located in Rolla, Missouri. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System, Missouri S&T offers over 100 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top public universities for salary impact, according to the Wall Street Journal. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.

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